UN says forest fires need rapid response

UN says forest fires need rapid response

JAKARTA (JP): A United Nations body said here yesterday that a
rapid response was still required to cope with forest fires in
Sumatra, Kalimantan and Irian Jaya despite some respite in the
past week.

The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination
(UNDAC) said that even though the state of emergency appeared to
be over, the ongoing peat, coal and surface fires continued to
contribute to the spreading haze.

"This is having an adverse affect on human health, the
environment and the economy," said UNDAC, which sent a team to
Sumatra, Kalimantan and Irian Jaya late last month for two weeks
to conduct on-site surveys in certain areas.

The team was dispatched by the UN Department of Humanitarian
Affairs (UNDHA) to assist UN Resident Coordinator and the
government in needs assessment, resource mobilization and the
coordination of international assistance.

The team, which carried out field assessment missions to the
areas along with several donor country representatives,
identified several priority needs.

They include ground fire-fighting equipment and medical
supplies for the treatment of respiratory infections, asthma,
conjunctivitis and diarrhea.

Also needed are small water treatment units to purify the
drinking water supply. In Irian Jaya, water jerrycans and kitchen
utensils are also urgently needed, as well as fuel for air
transportation, it said.

Ravi Rajan, UN Resident Coordinator here and also the resident
coordinator for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP),
said coordinated efforts should continue to deal with the
immediate crises.

"(However) an assessment of the long-term impact of the
emergency on health, the economy and the environment -- including
biodiversity... organic production and decomposition -- and the
development of medium and long-term strategies for future fire
prevention and control are called for," Rajan said.

UNDP has pledged US$200,000 to initiate a forest fire impact
assessment and mitigation project. The international community
has up to date pledged cash contributions valued at more than
$1.5 million, of which $630,000 is channeled through the UNDHA.

"Pledged in-kind contributions reached $2.55 million, but the
value of in-kind contributions has not yet been established,"
UNDP said.

The Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) announced
yesterday that it has dispatched 105,250 respiratory masks to
Kalimantan and Sumatra where an estimated 20 million people are
faced with respiratory problems because of the haze.

Walhi said the demand for the masks was higher, at 4,130,000.
It also announced yesterday that it has managed to raise Rp
104,435,000 from public donations to help those affected by the
haze.

According to the Environmental Impact Management Agency, the
number of hot spots, or fire locations detected by satellite, in
Sumatra and Kalimantan declined from 62 Sunday to 19 Monday.

But reports about the choking haze are still pouring in. The
haze in some areas caused airports to remain closed.

Antara reported that Padang in West Sumatra, for instance, had
for the past three days been blanketed by haze worsened by
unpredictable drizzle. Residents have become used to darkness
almost all day long, it said.

Palangka Raya in Central Kalimantan was also suffering from
thick haze, the news agency said.

Antara also reported yesterday that 6,217 hectares of forest
in the Lorentz National Park in Irian Jaya's Jayawijaya regency
have been ravaged since last April. (aan)